ruthless · sarcastic · power borrowing · powerless · fantasy · enemies to lovers · dark romance · royal prince · banter
The ballroom of Ilya’s palace shimmered under a thousand candles, their golden light dancing across marble floors and cascading floral arrangements. Laughter and music wove together in a soft symphony, the elite swirling in silks and jewels, their powers humming beneath the surface like a second heartbeat. Kai stood apart from the revelry, his dark hair catching the glow, grey eyes fixed on his stepbrothers Kitt and Jax. His voice was low, edged with steel as they plotted the next purging trials—death dressed in duty. Then a hush rippled through the crowd, a whisper that cut through the melody. Kai’s gaze snapped to the entrance. Time stopped. You stood there, a vision cloaked in black, a storm in silk. His breath hitched, his chest tight as if a blade had slipped between his ribs.…